Stanchions or posts are commonly found in industrial and commercial settings to protect a building structure or fixed equipment from vehicular traffic. Guard posts or protective stanchions are commonly found in public parking lots and the like to protect drive-up windows and equipment, telephone booths, store entrances, and so forth.
Existing guard posts and protective stanchions often comprise a steel post set in the ground or pavement with a portion of the post projecting a desired amount above the pavement surface, commonly on the order of about four feet or so. To enhance the durability of such a steel pipe stanchion, one may fill the steel pipe with concrete. This both closes the interior of the pipe to environmental deterioration and enhances the structural integrity and impact absorbing qualities of the stanchion.
Further, existing stanchions are typically painted to preserve the exterior of the stanchion and resist deterioration by rusting or the like. Protective stanchions are also painted to provide a high visibility color.
However, steps to enhance the durability of a protective stanchion such as painting are typically labor-intensive and require repetitive maintenance to repair chipped paint, worn surfaces, or discoloration over time.
To address this maintenance problem, U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,583 provides a protective sleeve for upright posts and stanchions. The sleeve comprises an elongated body extending between two opposing ends and an interior cavity extending along the sleeve and through at least one of the two opposing ends. Further, the interior cavity has a cross-sectional shape adapted for slip fit engagement with the post. The post is inserted into the interior cavity and the sleeve force fit over the post. According to a preferred embodiment, the sleeve includes a decorative feature in the form of a smooth hemispherical top on the closed opposing end, as shown and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. D464,585. A textured version is shown and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 426,898.
Post sleeves have also been combined with other features. For example, U.S. Pat. No. D374,941 is directed to an ornamental design for a combined stanchion with sleeve and signage. The need remains, however, for a post cover with additional functional and/or decorative features.